


Soulmates

by Anastasis (Nanabana)



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Cat and dog relationship, Forced Marriage, Hate to Love, I'm bad at tagging sorry, M/M, Matchmaking, Mates, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, jaguar!Yuuri, wolf!Victor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 11:45:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9656147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanabana/pseuds/Anastasis
Summary: There's a war going on between the canine and the feline. The two have been engaged in war for longer than remembered. The princes of both races want peace. But what cost will it take to get it?





	1. The Shapeshifters

It was dark. It was the time of peace and rest. It was the time of night. Evolved eyes pierced the darkness, seeing what non-nocturnal creatures couldn’t. The jaguar lifted its head, its heightened senses penetrating the world around it.

It’s ears pricked forwards as it heard something. The howling and barking of wolves. The jaguar listened carefully, its senses all concentrated upon the sounds of the canines. _One…two…three…four…five…_. The jaguar blanched and turned away. It was a pack of five wolves.

The feline turned tail and ran. It wasn’t stupid. It knew what it could handle and what it couldn’t. A jaguar with ten fur changes could take down two wolves on its own. A full grown jaguar could take down three. A jaguar with more than twenty fur changes and experience to its life could take down four. But a pack of five wolves and more meant that the jaguar was outnumbered.

This jaguar had eleven fur changes. Twenty three years in human aging. But it still knew that it could be killed. The large cat ran through the woods, its long legs pushing it onwards. The barking of the wolves sounded closer. The jaguar doubled its efforts.

It launched itself into an oak and then jumped onto a high crag that overlooked the dogs. The jaguar narrowed its eyes. It could see the brutes running across the field it had just come. Snarling, the jaguar turned and continued to run. It could not let itself be caught by the wolves.

It had been sneaking into the pack’s territory for some time, wanting to know the land that the wolves possessed. But it knew that if caught, it would die for sure. Wolves did not like trespassers on their soil. That was why it was desperate to get away. A pack of five could easily remove this jaguar from existence.

Stopping briefly, it snapped up a sleeping bird in its jaws, killing it and flinging the bird away into the woods, hoping the wolves would be drawn by the scent of blood. Its tail swung as it leaped for a large boulder, landing neatly on the top. A familiar land mark. It was close.

The jaguar ran on, knowing like so many other times that it would be safe. It lengthened its stride, large paws pounding into the ground as it pushed itself onwards. It growled in satisfaction as it sprang once more towards a higher ground. This marked the edge of the wolf boundary and the beginning of the jaguar lands.

The cat turned and snarled at its pursuers. At once, three more cats came to join it. Two would have defeated this pack of wolves but the four of them together proved an incontestable threat. The jaguar growled with mirth as the wolves stopped at the border, panting and canines glistening. The other three stepped in front of it, shielding it from the snarls and bays of the wolves.

The jaguar slunk away and padded silently towards a darker part of the forest. It walked softly, barely making a sound as a hunter of the night had evolved to do. The jaguar breathed easier, knowing that it had once again killed on the land of the wolf and gotten away with it. A slight smirked curved the muzzle of the jaguar.

The feline reached a large stone building that was lit with torches. The unusual thing about this building was that there were no doors. There were only windows. The closest ones were about ten feet off the ground. The jaguar jumped for one and made the height with a few inches to spare.

It landed gently inside one of the rooms, its padded feet cushioning the landing. The jaguar huffed softly and walked inside, its senses focusing upon what was outside of the door. The jaguar let out a soft breath and walked back to the window. It looked once and then snarled before turning back to the room.

The jaguar purred and stood on its hind legs. Its ears slipped from the top of its head to the side and the muzzle grew shorter. The brown eyes changed shape and grew slightly smaller. The paws melded into hands and the tail shorted quickly. The curved hind legs turned into straight human ones and the fur receded. In the jaguar’s place stood a semi-tall man dressed in fine clothing.

The male looked around for a moment with the sense of a jaguar and then walked out of the room and into the hall where he was met with another man who was a little taller and had gold eyes instead of brown.

“You’re back. Did you ever stop to think that maybe those visits aren’t a good idea?” the man asked, draping a cloak around the one who had just stepped out of the room.

“Leo, the wolves are too stupid to know it’s me who’s been invading their territory for the last five moons,” the man with brown eyes said.

“Even so, Yuuri, if they found you, they would kill you. What would the feline think if their heir was caught and killed by those canines?” the one named Leo asked.

“They would think of revenge and then there would be more bloodshed as they tried to avenge their heir. Sometimes I wish that this war would stop and we could live in harmony like the eagles and the bears do,” Yuuri answered.

“Our people have known nothing but war for generations. We’ve grown up in it and it becomes our lives. The felines have always hated the canine and so it shall continue to be. Wolf, coyote and wild dog alike, we all hate them. And they hate us; jaguar, panther, lynx, tiger. Can you change what decades have accepted?” Leo questioned. Yuuri rolled his eyes. Sometimes his guard was a little too hung up on the past.

“Leo, if there is a way, I intend to take it and end this. Too many of our people have been lost to the canine,” Yuuri informed him. Leo laughed.

“The body count occurred again today and they have two soldiers down for every one of ours,’ Leo stated proudly.

“And that is only because we dip our claws, arrows and swords with the tainted onyx.”

“You give no credit to the skill of our warriors,” Leo complained.

Yuuri smiled, “It’s hard to give when the best is my personal guard.”

Leo flushed with the compliment. “Still. I would think that you would want to remove those who took the life of your father.”

“Losing my father made me realize how horrible this war is. Does anyone remember the point of it anymore? What cause do we lift tooth and claw for? Even Guang-Hong couldn’t tell me. I hate seeing dying children whenever I walk the battlefields. No matter what, they are all children; feline and canine alike.”

Leo blinked before answering, “You should sleep. It’s past moonhigh and Takeshi wants to go over battle tactics with you before the sun shines into Yutopia.”

“It’s the new moon, Leo. How can you possibly tell whether it’s moonhigh or not?” Yuuri demanded, deciding to ignore his guard’s change of the subject.

“Still. You’ve been infiltrating lands you shouldn’t be and have to be up at a godforsaken hour,” Leo answered.

“Huh, why must he always be awake before the eagles begin to sing? It’s utterly ridiculous. No feline wakes at such an hour unless to lap water from the pool.”

“He must really like to lap water from the pool,” Leo laughed. Yuuri giggled with him. Leo, despite his post as the head of Yutopia Imperial Set, was still a troublemaker and clown at heart. Yuuri had been friends with him for most of his life time.

“Fine. I’ll tuck my tail and sleep. But I’m giving Takeshi hell for this and no mistake,” Yuuri announced. Leo nodded.

“I’m sure you will.”

Yuuri made his way into his room and shut the door. He removed the cloak his guard had put around him and dropped it on the floor. He made his way to the balcony and stared up at the star studded sky.

_If there is a way to end this war, please, let me find it soon. I’ve lost too many people to a war nobody remembers the reason for._

Yuuri sighed. He looked at his large bed, designed for pure comfort and luxury. It was a bed made simply of pillows stacked against each other to create an inviting and relaxing nest. Yuuri removed his shirt and slipped into a pair of soft loose pants. He curled into the pillows and drew his blanket over him. His only stuffed toy from his childhood days was a tattered but velvety puddle doll. Yuuri named it Vicchan.

He cuddled it close and lay there, all senses alert until he fell into sleep. His dreams were always seemed more real than life itself. He watched as his father rode off into battle, coming home with blood all over him. He rode off again and didn’t return.

He screamed as he saw his father fall. Even though it had taken fifteen wolves to create a large gash, his father had in due course, fallen to their swords. Yuuri had only managed to escape due to the sudden attack of five other felines.  
He had changed into his jaguar form and his soaked claws of tainted onyx had torn down everyone in his path. It was then he realized how useless it was. No matter how many he took down, there would always be more avenging the fallen.

!*!*!*!*!

Yuuri woke abruptly, sunlight streaming through his window. He groaned. The sun was almost shining into his chamber. If he hurried, he could make it to Takeshi before the sunlight hit the northern hills.

He scrambled around, looking for his clothes and his “jewellery”. Said jewellery was a long cord with the Katsuki clan symbol and a collar bearing his royal status as well as a simple head chain that was worn so the pendants were just over his eyes.

Once he was deemed presentable, he rushed over to the library where battle tactics were always being discussed.

“Prince Yuuri, welcome to our table,” Takeshi bowed.

“Forgive the tardiness. I was having trouble awakening,” Yuuri hissed, sending a look at Takeshi who brushed it away. The elder male was used to Yuuri complaining about the early hour at which he rose.

“Today, we discuss tactics of surprise. The past few battles have taken a toll on us and we must figure out a way to lure in the brutes before they can launch a full scale attack,” Takeshi began. Those at the table nodded seriously. Yuuri scanned the map. It seemed from their vantage point, the best thing to do would be to lure in a battalion and seal off their escape and pick them off one by one.

“Takeshi, are we suppose to start from he-?” Leo began before he was interrupted.

“Prince, the Empress would like to see you,” a small ocelot called. “She requests your presence too, Leo as leader of Yutopia Imperial Set.”

“Is it a matter of urgency, Guang-Hong?” Leo asked, tone soft. It was common knowledge that Leo and Guang-Hong had feelings for each other. An entire celebration (courtesy of Yuuko, a mothering advisor) was held upon the two courting each other. Yuuri had wasted no time teasing his guard and pestering him about Guang-Hong’s qualities.

“Most likely or she wouldn’t want the two of you. Please excuse us, Takeshi,” Guang-Hong bowed. The older man flicked his hand in a dismissive manner.

“I haven’t seen you out of the libraries for ages, Guang-Hong. Bored with being a scholar now?” Yuuri teased.

“No. I was singing for your sister when the message came. She sent me to find you two,” Guang-Hong said, looking nervously at Leo. Everyone knew that Guang-Hong was always on pins and needles when anything involving Leo rose.

He hated seeing the elder male go into war, uncertain if he would return or not. It broke the hearts of those around him at the times when he would suddenly burst into tears, praying for Leo to return safely.

“Rest assured, Guang-Hong. We aren’t marching to the field. Takeshi has no plan yet,” Yuuri informed the younger male. Guang-Hong relaxed but only slightly.

The three of them walked into the large hall where the thrones of the Jaguar Emperor and the Empress thrones were built. The thrones had always belonged to those of Jaguar blood and would likely always remain that way.

Yuuri, Leo and Guang-Hong knelt before the Empress, bowing respectfully. Katsuki Mari stood and they rose. The Empress looked over them all kindly and sighed. Years of war had forcefully aged her in her young age. When their parents died, she was forced to take the throne as the Empress, because her younger brother was still too young to rule the kingdom. And now ten years after that, she no longer felt the hope needed to lead her people into battle.

“You have been called because of an invitation to the bear lands. The bears have called a truce and want to meet with both canine and feline to discuss ways of ending this war as it inadvertently affects them too.

“Yuuri, you are coming because you are the heir to the throne and will be Emperor on the day of the summer solstice. Leo, you shall accompany us as a single guard because that was all that was permitted for the two of us,” Empress Mari sighed.

“Should we perhaps bring more in case there is trouble?” Leo asked. Empress Mari shook her head.

“No. The bears would not permit actions from either of us. We have torn ourselves apart and left us vulnerable to the attacks of outsiders.”

“We should go without harmful intentions. If there is a way to make peace, we should take it,” Yuuri nodded.

“Very well, Yuuri, my brother. You still have the hope we need to continue with our battles. I see the hope which I have lost and I trust your judgement,” Empress Mari said morosely. Yuuri placed a comforting hand on his sister’s back.

“It’s okay, Nee-chan. I will try to make sure this war ends. Or die trying,” Yuuri promised. Empress Mari’s shoulders stiffened but she made no comment. All members of the royal family pledged their lives to the war. To win or die trying. Mari had heard those words from her father, her mother and her partner. All of them had died trying.

“Be careful, Yuuri. You may have the eyes of the night and the legs to jump but the wolves can also see in the dark. We are both night hunters and as such, it is easy for the hunter to become the hunted.”

“I know. I will try to end this war and I swear that I shall make sure our people stay alive,” Yuuri swore. Leo nodded at those words.

“Remember what you are, Yuuri. What we are. And remember that no canine is ever to be trusted. The cunning in those eyes and the treachery in their nails is what we have been fighting against all these years,” Empress Mari stared into the eyes of her last family. “We shall never submit to the canine.”

“We are the Jaguar. Our claws are made of poisoned stone. Our eyes are made of ice. Our paws were made to battle. Our teeth were made to tear. Our swords are sharp, our fighters lethal,” Yuuri snarled, pupils morphing into catlike slits.

“And we will not let the canine rule,” Empress Mari growled back.

“Because we are THE FELINE!” Leo roared. Guang-Hong smiled. If Leo lived long enough (and Guang-Hong prayed he did) he would have a strong mate. The cat inside of him purred. He liked the idea of Leo as his life partner.

“We should prepare for the journey into the lands of the bears. We shall need supplies, medicines, horses–” Leo was interrupted in the middle of his list.

“Leo, we’re talking about going to the land of bears, not a week long trip. All that equipment will merely slow us down. Besides, we’re close enough to be there at noon if we went by paw,” Yuuri said.

“He’s right. We shall go by paw. Leo, they never said we weren’t allowed to have weapons. Yuuri and I shall conceal fifteen poisoned daggers each and you shall have your usual number of thirty four. You will also have two swords. Is that clear?” Empress Mari demanded.

“Affirmative,” Leo confirmed. Guang-Hong shook slightly.

“Very well. You are dismissed. Prepare for departure tomorrow. We want to get there in plenty of time. I bid you farewell,” Empress Mari discharged them and waved them out of the throne room. Outside, Guang-Hong clung to Leo.

“You _will_ be careful right? Canines are cunning. They are not to be trusted. Leo, _be careful_!” Guang-Hong pleaded. Yuuri watched the two of them silently. He wondered which of the female cats that had been paraded in front of him would become his mate. His soulmate.

“Guang-Hong, I’ll be fine. I know how to wield a blade, throw a dagger, and use a spear. If things go badly, Yuuri can also help out,” Leo grinned at Yuuri who smiled back. Yuuri had been trained in martial arts combat and beat Leo often.

“If you come back with just _one_ canine scratch on you, I’m never letting you leave again,” Guang-Hong said stubbornly. Leo sighed and placed a hand over Guang-Hong’s which was clinging to his shirt. He winced lightly.

“Retract your claws. If you don’t I’ll have feline claw marks to worry about too,” Leo smiled. “I’ll be fine. Now go to your books.”

“I wish I had the power to stop you,” Guang-Hong growled. His yellowy eyes narrowed.

“You know you couldn’t stop me even if you wanted to,” Leo said gently.

“If you were my mate, you would obey me,” Guang-Hong snarled bitterly. Yuuri placed a hand on the younger feline’s arm.

“I would obey you now if I could. But I must protect the heir. There will only be one other guard for the canine there too. Don’t worry. The bears won’t let anything happen on their land. I’ll be safe,” Leo’s voice was meant only for Guang-Hong’s ears but Yuuri was close enough to hear every word.

He hoped that that would be the case. He didn’t like it when Guang-Hong worried over Leo even though he was the most skilled fighter that Yutopia possessed. He prayed that this meeting would go well. It was the only hope for peace. And Yuuri would do anything for peace.

 

 ---

 

TBC


	2. The Prince of Wolves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a war going on between the canine and the feline. The two have been engaged in war for longer than remembered. The princes of both races want peace. But what cost will it take to get it?

There was a rustle in the woods. And then three large cats leaped from the cover of the tall dark trees. The first was a large and beautiful jaguar whose coat was streaked in light silver underneath the muzzle. The second was a slightly larger jaguar whose footsteps made no sound on the forest floor. The last was a Siberian tiger, stripes shimmering beautifully in the light.

Almost immediately, they were surrounded. There were at least ten bears surrounding them, each a different kind. The three felines changed, their forms shifting into those of humans. Yuuri looked around. It had been a while since he had been into bear territory.

“Welcome, Empress and Prince of the feline. Greetings Leo de la Igleisa, leader of Yutopia Imperial Set and highest ranked officer of Yutopia Katsuki,” a man stood where a grizzly bear had previously and bowed to them. “The Chieftain will meet you in the reception hall. We shall take you there now.”

“Very well. Shall we make haste?” Empress Mari shifted back into her fur. Yuuri and Leo followed her example. Yuuri, despite the reasons for going to the bear lands, was somewhat excited. He had never seen the Prince of Wolves. And he hadn’t seen the castle of the bears which was reputed to be simply amazing.

The party made their way into the deepest parts of the forest. Yuuri took in everything around him. When he was emperor, he would have to know about the surrounding lands. The party came upon a magnificent stone castle that was partially hidden by the tall trees around it.

It was enormous. Large turrets were decorated with the silks bearing the emblem of the sun bear dynasty. Beautiful stones had been used for the walls and they simply sparkled. The walls were patrolled by guards and were at least thirty feet high. In the base of the castle, large rubies had been set. They gleamed with importance and Yuuri wondered how long it had taken to build such perfection.

The bear who had been leading them, a small black bear, changed back into his human form. The rest of the group copied him and shifted as well. Yuuri looked towards the leader.

“This is the Stone Cave. We shall bring you to the Chieftain now,” the leader said. Yuuri nodded and proceeded to follow him on foot. He took in his surroundings. The castle was impressive on the inside as well.

It was six storeys tall and a huge staircase branched in the middle of the hall. The floors were covered with rugs and the walls decorated with bright tapestries. The ceiling was so high that Yuuri had to tilt his head all the way back to see it. Large chandeliers hung from the ceilings and cast a glow of warmth over the area.

“This way,” the black bear beckoned and the three felines followed him. They were lead into a room with a large dais and on top of it, two thrones were built, looking down on the room. In one of those thrones, sat a man who was gently stroking the hair of another man whose head was on his lap.

“Chieftain, we have brought our guests,” the bears bowed. Empress Mari came to stand beside him.

“In my honour, Chieftain Emil Nekola,” Empress Mari murmured, curtseying gracefully before the leader of the bear tribes. Emil looked over the group before waving his hand. The other bears disappeared and the five of them were left alone.

“Welcome, Empress Mari of the felines, Prince Yuuri and Leo, leader of the Yutopia Imperial Set and highest officer of Yutopia Katsuki. I had a feeling you would be coming too. May I introduce my mate Michele Crispino?” Emil held out an arm and motioned for Michele to come and take it.

The shorter male walked forwards into Emil’s embrace. Michele looked up at the group of people in front of him with bored eyes.

“You became mates with a man?” Empress Mari asked, surprised. Emil’s eyes narrowed and his grip tightened on Michele.

 “Is that a problem?” Emil growled. Leo took a step forwards but Mari held her own.

“Not at all. Now, pray tell, where are the loathsome dogs? Is that not the reason to why we are here?” she asked. Emil looked towards the doors and another party came in.

“May I introduce Alpha Female Mila Babicheva, Prince Victor Nikiforov and Georgi Popovich, leader of the Canine Forces,” Emil pointed at each one individually.

Yuuri’s eyes were wide. He had only ever heard stories about Victor, the soon-to-be Alpha of the canine. His azure eyes were murderous and cold. Seven felines had tried to destroy him but all were killed. His howl chilled all who heard it to the bone. And looking at the blue-eyed, silver-haired, tall male, Yuuri understood why he was so infamous.

Prince Victor turned to look at him and Yuuri felt himself freeze. He looked into Victor’s azure eyes and tried not to shiver. He had the distinct feeling that Victor could tell what he was feeling. Then Prince Victor’s gaze broke and he looked away and Yuuri was free.

“Greetings, Chieftain Emil, it is good to see you again,” Alpha Female Mila bowed. Emil nodded in the direction of the canine and then led Michele back to their thrones.

“You have been called here–” Michele began before he was interrupted by a loud screech. Two birds flew through the open window and changed in mid flight.

“You’re late,” Emil said by way of greeting.

“Our apologies. There was trouble in the marketplace,” one of the birds said, bowing slightly. He was small with blonde hair and slightly feminine features. The one behind him was more masculine with visible muscle and black hair.

“I present Captain Otabek Altin and Yuri Plisetsky of the eagles,” Michele smiled at the two.

“I requested their presence for this meeting. We must have an agreement between all races of how to end the war between the feline and canine,” Emil explained.

“We called the races here to discuss how to end this war. We must figure out a way to have this peace before the two races annihilate each other. What would the heirs give to have peace once more?” Michele asked, staring at the two princes with his dark brown eyes.

“I would give whatever it takes,” Yuuri said immediately. He did not look to Victor to see what he thought of his response.

“I would give all I had,” Victor responded. Yuuri shivered. Victor’s voice was deep and soothing but it set Yuuri on edge.

“It is clear you both want peace for your races but have no idea how to go about it. Yuri, what do you think?” Michele asked, turning to the leader of the eagle race.

“In order to stop your people fighting, they need similarity. Something that prevents them from attacking each other. In order to do so, why not make them _your_ people?” Yuri said.

“Pardon?” Victor asked politely. Yuuri felt a sense of dread creep over him.

“Combine your races. Let canine become feline and vice versa. Combine the two royal houses through matrimony and their people are your people,” Otabek explained.

“WHAT?!”

The shout was deafening. Leo had leapt forwards and was now stating all the reasons why this shouldn’t happen and Mari was telling Yuri he was crazy. Georgi, the guard of the canine was protesting violently as well. Victor was shouting and Mila was shaking her head.

Yuuri remained silent. He was in shock. _Combine_ the two? Was it even possible? How would his sister live, always in fear of her own husband? _Who_ would her husband even be? Victor’s parents had been killed.

“Silence! You are in my house and therefore are subject to my orders. If you continue this racket I shall send my own forces in and destroy both your races!” Emil shouted. They quieted, waiting for what he might say next.

“Is there no female in the feline royal house for Prince Victor?” Michele asked.

“No. I have a mate already, and my sibling is a male,” Empress Mari whispered.

“What about Mila for–”

“She has a mate already,” Georgi cut in.

“Why not the two princes? Male marriage has become more common,” Otabek commented conversationally.

“EXCUSE ME?!”

The babble broke out again. Yuuri couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Otabek was suggesting that he and _Victor_ get married? That was so absurd Yuuri started to laugh quietly to himself.

“Why not? It would serve the purpose required and they could each have mistresses. And with Yuuri’s looks, he would play the perfect part of mate,” Yuri grinned. Yuuri nearly fell over.

“That is utterly ridiculous,” Victor said, his voice dripping with disgust. Emil’s eyes narrowed.

“Do you wish for peace or not? In my opinion, I would opt for peace because, should the eagles or bears desire your lands, it would be ludicrously easy to remove you from them. You have weakened yourselves so much that now you need each other to survive. And for that you need peace. Do you want it or not?” Emil growled.

“Yes but–” Victor tried to say.

“Then you will do this. You are dismissed. Yuri and Otabek, I would like to talk to you about the southern border…” Emil turned to the other two monarchs. The three felines and canines were escorted into the hall.

“We have prepared rooms for you. It is late and you can travel tomorrow. A war between you three as you depart is not what we want,” Michele said as he followed them out. He beckoned for two bears to come over.

“Yes sir?” the two of them bowed.

“Take our guests to their respective rooms on either side of the Cave. Assign at least three guards to the doors and twelve to the hall. That will be all,” Michele ordered and the six were led in opposite directions.

Yuuri felt eyes on his back as he left but resisted the urge to look around. He followed the bears through a maze of winding passages until they came upon a hallway that was brightly lit with large torches.

“This is the hall where you shall reside for the night. We hope you have a comfortable stay,” the bear who had been leading them said. He led them into large rooms that were slightly smaller than those at Yutopia but still nice nonetheless.

“The suggestion of the bears is ridiculous. How can we become one with them? Yuri of the eagles is out of his mind. How shall you bear heirs for our throne if you marry the dog? And what will our people say when they find out you have married a canine, let alone a _male canine_?” Empress Mari demanded the minute she entered the room.

“There’s no other way to get peace,” Leo pointed out.

“Quiet, Leo. There must be another way. We have to think,” Empress Mari cut off her guard sharply.

“I don’t think there is another way,” Yuuri interrupted, having been silent for the past few minutes. Empress Mari glared at her brother.

“There must be. I cannot surrender you to the canine for just that. _You_ _must produce heirs_. I have no qualms about marriages between males but you are _royalty_. You are to have heirs to take over once you are gone. With our people combined, which race shall take over the throne?” Empress Mari asked.

“Empress, you need not worry. On the day of the summer solstice, Prince Yuuri shall become emperor and you shall step down as Preceding Queen. Then it will be Yuuri’s duty to oversee who shall take over his throne next,” Leo pointed out.

“How can he make the decision without guidance? And did I not tell you to hold your tongue?” Empress Mari snapped. Leo fell silent.

“We have no choice, Nee-san. The royal wolves will also be in the same predicament, trying to figure out ways to get out of this arrangement as well. The Wolf Reign and the Jaguar Era have each lasted thousands of years and not once have we had to make a decision. Neither of us are prepared for such a judgment. So we must go along with it,” Yuuri sighed.

Empress Mari opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Leo stood up and walked to the large oak door and pulled it open to reveal a small servant girl bearing a letter in her hands.

“This message has been sent to Prince Yuuri from the wolves,” the girl said before handing the letter to Leo, bowing and departing.

“Who would be sending a message to you at this time?” Empress Mari asked. Yuuri took the letter and opened it. 

_To: Prince Yuuri of the Jaguar Empire,_

_I wish to speak with you about the suggestion made by the bears during our time in the reception hall. I ask that you meet me in the main hall of the Stone Cave. A guard will be waiting outside to escort you there. Please come alone. It will beneficial to both of us._

_From: Prince Victor of the Wolf Kingdom_

“The Wolf Prince has the audacity to ask you to come alone to meet him?” Empress Mari asked incredulously, having read the letter over the shoulder of her brother.

“I do not think that meeting him is such a good idea, my prince. He could easily make an end to you,” Leo stated.

“You forget that I am a jaguar. It takes much more than one wolf to take me down. I shall be fine. I will go to see what he desires. Do not send anyone after me. I want the two of you to stay in this room. I shall see what the Prince of Wolves wants,” Yuuri said resolutely.

He felt his hands tremble and he immediately clenched them into fists. He nodded once at his sister and Leo before he walked through the door and turned towards the guard that stood outside his room.

“Please take me to the main hall. I have a meeting to attend,” Yuuri ordered. He tried to calm his thumping heart as he followed the guard into complete uncertainty.

 

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment please?

**Author's Note:**

> Comment please?


End file.
